Napoli in talks over Barcelona target Piatek

The club chief has spoken to his counterpart at Genoa as well as the Poland international’s agent, but he will not be drawn into a bidding war

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has revealed that he has opened talks over the signing of Genoa sensation Krzysztof Piatek. Piatek leads the Serie A goalscoring charts this season with nine strikes in seven games, turning him into one of Europe’s most sought-after young strikers.

The 23-year-old has attracted reported interest from some of the continent’s top teams, with Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund among his alleged suitors. Napoli, however, are looking to steal a march on their rivals, with De Laurentiis confirming he is negotiating a bid. “I have spoke with both [Genoa president] Preziosi and his agent, now we have to meet,” the Napoli chief told reporters on Monday. “But I do not want to end up in a bidding war, with all due respect to the player, I must also see if he can perform at Napoli like he has done at Genoa.” Piatek started his career in Poland with Lechia Dzierzoniow and Zagłebie Lubin, before earning a move to Krakow side Cracovia in 2016. A breakout season in 2017-18 saw him net 21 goals in 36 Ekstraklasa, a tally that convinced Genoa to take him to Italy at the start of the current season. His stay at the club looks set to be a short one, however, with comparisons to Bayern Munich’s Poland star Robert Lewandowski emerging due to his exploits in front of the net. Piatek’s talents have also been noticed in the Poland set-up, having been handed his debut for the national team in September against the Republic of Ireland. His maiden goal came in Thursday’s UEFA Nations League match against Portugal, where he scored the opener in a game that eventually ended 3-2 in favour of Fernando Santos’ charges.